New Neumann Clip-On Guitar Mic

[Spook410]

A possible alternative to the DPA 4099 and I do tend to be a Neumann fan. $700 so it's expensive. Hoping they have better mounting hardware than the DPA. Also hope we'll see some discounts when the shiny new has worn off a bit. Haven't seen any reviews yet.



Just a moment...

[Jimmy blue note]

Nice! Been waiting for somebody to come out with some high quality mics for on board mounting.
Now for somebody to get one and report back.

[6v6ster]

I hope it sounds good. I haven’t been too excited about their recent mics.
But maybe this is a winner.

but like any fancy brand the name cranks the price up alone.

[Ukena]

Even more expensive than a DPA 4099, which is not inexpensive to begin with!

I have used the DPA (which was some $200 cheaper when I purchased it than now), and it gives a lovely close-mic'd sound for when you're moving around – I've used it on my flat tops.

But for recording, I prefer a large diaphragm mic in a mic stand, because I'm not moving around.

It might be interesting to hear the DPA combined with the built-in pickup of my archtops...

And Spook, you're right, the guitar-mounting thing for the 4099 is less than optimal.

[Jimmy blue note]

One thing that many people do that's questionable is mic into the F hole. Most of the sound anyone hears is off of the top. The F hole addresses primarily the helmholtz air resonance and the standing wave created within the body. It's more akin to the port of a speaker than the diaphram in a speaker cabinet.
The air that's actually moved is from the top, particularly the lower bout radiating from the bridge.
That's why luthiers attribute so much importance to the reverse curve along the edge of the guitar and not the F holes when designing and building a guitar. It's the pliability of the top itself that projects and the quality of the movement of the top itself that 'makes the sound' so addressing the top just off the bridge is the optimum sound for amplification of an acoustic guitar top.

I see people addressing mic's into the soundhole...and not understanding why it creates feedback.

The mounting of a fixed acoustic condenser mic is difficult to get a good sound from for this reason, and the Neumann doesn't seem like it might have the gooseneck flexibility for optimum placement. But who knows? I'm not Telefunken. I just know guitars, or at least what I'd like them to do.

[Jabberwocky]

Even more expensive than a DPA 4099...SNIP.

And Spook, you're right, the guitar-mounting thing for the 4099 is less than optimal.

InstruMounts (H-clamp) - ExplorAudio

[Jabberwocky]

It is pretty dang costly for an electret*. With the aforementioned Exploraudio H-Mount and electret LineAudio CM4 you could have a good set-up for lower than half of the sennheiser-neumann electret unless you simply have to have a neumann.

Line Audio Design - Made in Sweden

Since we are talking about alternatives...

* dpa 4099 is an electret, too.

[Spook410]

Not recommending this mic or not recommending it. Noted because it's an interesting entry into the field.

Overall, I do like Neumann for their consistency and resale value though a TLM103 is all I have at the moment.

I do keep meaning to get a couple of the Line Audio mic's.

[Jabberwocky]

I have a pair of Neumann TLM107s that I love. I like the LD Neumann mikes that built their reputation. It is just that I don't think the dpa 4099 is lacking in anything so Neumann is kind of late to the party.

It is an interesting microphone that I would love to check out. I just don't see myself chucking out the dpa 4099 for this one.

The dpa 4099 is kind of a known quantity at this point. Yeah, and I am also jaded of Sennheiser rebranded as Neumann products.

Sorry, wasn't meaning to rain on the announcement but I guess I did. The LineAudio CM4/OM1 are really good value for money.